SCENERY. 161 



earth is soft in the vicinity of them, and frequently the crust 

 is broken and thrown up with great force, to establish new 

 springs, steam-vents, and mud-cauldrons ; and the boiling slime 

 or water thrown up on these occasions would suffice to kill a 

 man in a few seconds. 



In the northeastern part of Plumas County are many hot 

 springs perhaps numbering one thousand covering an area 

 of ten acres. They roar and hiss so as to be heard at a dis- 

 tance of a mile, and their steam can be seen from a greater 

 distance, The whole place smells strongly of sulphur, which 

 mineral, as well as alum and various earthy salts, abounds in 

 the soil about the springs. 



In four or five places in California, the earth is constantly 

 hot, and sulphurous gases and vapors are constantly escaping. 

 There is such a solfatara about fifteen miles eastward from 

 Santa Barbara ; another near Owen's Lake ; another near the 

 Geysers, in Sonoma ; and another near the hot springs, in Plu- 

 inas County. 



11 



